Measuring device for fence-machines



A. C. MILLS. MEASURING DEVICE FOR EENCE MACHINES.

- APPLICATION FILED IAN-11,19I7. 1,335,980.

Patented Apr. 6, 1920. 2 SHEETS-SH A. C. MILLS. MEASURING DEVICE FORFENCE MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-11,1917. 1,335,980.

Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANSON C. MILLS,

MEASURING DEVICE FOR FENCE-MACHINES.

is a specification.

'In the operation of fabric machines it is necessary for most eflicientoperation to provide means for producing desired lengths of the fabric.In some instances a number of rolls may be required of the samelengthand these means should be so arranged as toprovide for this productionwithout more than ordinary attention on the part of an operator.

An object in the present device is to provide means of such character asto enable the production of any desired lengths and to produce as manyof such lengths as may be desired without further adjustment. To thisend I have provided means directly connected to the main shaft of a wirefabric machine for rotating an arm, the extent of rotation of the armbeing controlled by a predetermined setting, an electrical circuit beingclosed at the completion of the movement of the arm whereby the machinemay be stopped or a warning signal be given.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein--- I Figure 1 is a plan view of a deviceconstructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is 'a transverse vertical sectional view, and v Fig. 4 is avertical sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. j

In the drawings the casingwhich incloses the parts is indicatedat 10,the back wall 11 thereof constituting a bearingfor a shaft 12. On theoverhung end of the shaft is mounted a gear 13 adapted to be engaged-bya pinion 14, fast on a ratchet wheel 15. The shaft which supports thepinion and ratchet wheel is mounted in a bracket 16, best shown .in Fig.2. Also mounted on the shaft 17 which carries the ratchet wheel is anoscillating arm 18 having a slotted outer end to which the link 19 isadjustably connected. The link engages an eccentric 20 connected to oractuated by the main shaft of the ma- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 11, 1317.

- chine,

disk member 30, as best Patented Apr. 6, 1920'.

Serial No. 141,904.

the arrangement being such that the arm 18 is oscillated. A pawl 21 isconnected to the arm 18 and engages the periphery of the ratchet wheelat one side thereof. The inner end of the arm 18 is provided with afragmentary gear 22, which engages with a similar .gear 23, carried .bya shorter arm 24, pivoted at 25 to a suitable support. The outer endofthe arm 24 carries a pawl OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR' T6 JACKSONFENCE COMPANY, 0F JACKSON, MICHIGA N, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

26, which engages the periphery of the ratchet I wheel .15 at a pointsubstantially opposite to that of the point of engagement of the pawl21. By reason of the arrangement shown, it will be seen that the ratchetwheel is advanced during both motions of the'arm 18. This provides for afiner adjustment and a more uniform movement of the gear 13.

Pinned to the shaft 12 and mounted inside of the rear wall 11 of thecasing is a collar 27 provided with clutch teeth 28, which engage withprojections on a disk 29, loosely mounted on the shaft 12. A pair ofdisk members 30, 31, engage the disk 29 and tend to clamp the same underthe action of the springs 32. The disk 30 is provided with a knob 33, orsimilar manually-operable'projection, and also with an arm or pointer34. The axis of the disk member 30 is hollowancl provides a bearing forthe inner end of the shaft 12. The outer wall 35 of the casing 10 isremovably secured in place. In a circular recess in the face of themember 35 I; mount a fiat ring 36 having notches 37 in its flangedperiphery. The ring 36 is retained in position by means of the ring 38and fastening screws 39, but is readily rotatable in its seat bymanually engaging the knob or projection 40.

Formed as a radial projection from the shown in Fig. 4, is the arm 41,which in the dotted line position of Fig. 4 is adapted to en age the rodor plunger 42 and close a switc 43 in a circuit 44. In the circuit maybe located a solenoid 45, by means of which the machine may be stopped,or a light or bell may be employed as a warning, or both may be used.

It will be understood that the machine may also be stopped by pneumatic,hydraulic or mechanical means but as the invention does not reside inthe stop mechanism, only the electrical means are illustrated.

The operation is as follows: Assuming that it is desired to producethirty rod lengths of fabric, the flat ring 36 is moved by manuallyengaging the knob a0 until the notch corresponding to the correct lengthregisters with a dog or catch 46. The knob 33 is then grasped by theoperator and rotated counterclockwise until the arm or pointer 34contacts the knob or stop 40. The

machine is then started and under the action of the cooperating partsthe disk member 30 and its radially projecting arm are rotated clockwiseas viewed in F ig. 4, or until the arm 41 closes the circuit 44. If themachine is not at once shut off no harm is done because the clutchmembers permit the parts to slip. After the correct length has beensecured, the operator returns the pointer 34 to its original position bya single movement of his hand and the operation is repeated.

The extent of movement of the arm 41, which determines the length of thefabric to be woven is fixed by the adjustment of the graduatedringlikemember; that is, by that means the knob 40 is located and thisdetermines the extent toWhich the pointer 34 may be rotatedcounterclockwise.

Obviously -many modifications may be made in the construction shown andTL do not Wish to be limited to the exact form 1 shown and described.30.

I claim:

1. lln a measuring device for fence machines,the combination of aring-like stop member having peripheral graduations, a rotatablemeasuring device mounted adjacent to said stop member and including anarm for contact with said stop and a friction clutch, mechanical meansoperating through said clutch for moving said measuring arm away fromsaid stop in timed relation with said machine, and means adapted to beactuated at the termination of the pre-determined travel of saidmeasuring member for causing the interruption of the operation of saidmachine, substantially as described.

2. In a measuring device for fence ma-.

of a flat ring the chines, the combination graduated, a stop peripheryof which is member mounted on the ring, a measuring member including afriction clutch, and an arm or pointer for cooperation with said stopmember, means operated by the fence machine for transmitting motion tosaid measuring member through said clutch, and an electric circuitadapted to be closed by said measuring member upon the completion of itspredetermined travel, substantially as described.

3'. In a measuring device for fence machines, the combination of anadjustable stop member having graduations, means for locking the stopmember at a desired point, a stop on said stop member, a measuringmember frictionally connected to the fence machine, said measuringmember being provided with a limiting stop adapted to en gage with thestop on said stop member at the beginning of its measuring movement,andmachine-interrupting means connected to said'measuring device andoperable at the completion of the predetermined travel thereof,substantially as described.

4. In a measuring device for fabric machines, the combination of agraduated member having a stop, means for securely looking saidgraduated member in a desired position, a measuring member having an armadapted for cooperation with said stop, said measuring member beingfrictionally connected to a machine,-the product of which is to bemeasured, said measuring member being manually movable against thefriction of the clutch to its initial position in which the arm and stopare in contact, and machine-interrupting means adapted to be actuated bysaid measuring member upon the completion of its predetermined travel,substantially as described.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of ,a casing, astop mounted for angular adjustment about an axis in said casing, .amachine-interrupting device, a shaft mounted at the said axis of thecasing, a pair of arms carried by the shaft, one arm being adapted tocooperate with said stop and the other with said machine-interruptingdevice to actuate the same, means connected to the machine to becontrolled for rotating said shaft in one direction when the machine isin operation, and a friction clutch between said shaft and saidconnecting means whereby said shaft may be rotated to move the arm tothe limit permitted by the adjustable stop without affecting saidconnecting means, substantially as described Signed at Chicago,Illinois, this 12th da? of December, A. D. 1916.

ANSON C. MILLS.

